Crimson Scars
by HoopyFrood
Summary: It's a story. Read it!
1. Chapter 1

Alyce remembered the day she had decided to seriously begin studying alchemy. She had always loved doing transmutations since she was very little. She used to watch her mother scribble transmutation circles on the floor and counters and stay up all night reading book after book. When she was four she drew her first decent transmutation circle and when she was seven she learned how to use them. Those were great days. She was always testing the limits of her alchemy or playing with her big brother, Alex. He was 4 years older than her and never understood alchemy but he would always smile when she showed him something she had made, no matter how small. Then one by one the tragedies began. When she was ten her country was invaded and her mother was dragged of by the the invading army never to be seen again. Her brother and her barely escaped with their lives. She watched the town burn down that night.

Alyce and her brother were alone after that. They traveled from town to town doing odd jobs wherever they could find them. It was hard but she never lost hope. At least not until the day her brother died. She was 14 and it was her brother's 18th birthday. She had been shopping for something for him when she passed an encampment of some occupying soldiers. There were some catcalls, which she ignored. They decided that meant she thought she was too good for them and they grabbed her. "We'll show you your place you stuck up little bitch." they screamed tearing at her clothes. Then her brother showed up. And he challenged them. The fight was short. He pulled out a knife and they pulled out a gun. Shot him dead in an instant. She rushed to his side. The soldiers only laughed and advanced again. She took her brothers knife and frantically, without thinking, started slicing at her hands, carving a transmutation circle into her living flesh. "Crazy bitch," the soldiers taunted her. Then she rushed at them, taking them by surprise. Then, the second she laid her hands on the first soldier she knew what to do. His own body was transformed into a bomb. The whole encampment was soon in flames. She watched stunned for a while before she regained her senses. She took her brother away from the camp and cried herself to sleep by his side. In the morning she buried him and vowed to see him again.


	2. Chapter 2

Two Years Later...

"Okay. That should do me just fine," Alyce said, "But what should I give up for his soul?" She wondered at this for while fondling the scars on her hands marking where she had cut the transmutation circles into her flesh. She reopened the wounds and let the blood fall onto what would become her brother's body. "I offer you the bastards who did this to you," she said softly, "because you deserve at least that". With that she began the transmutation.

As light filled the room Alyce felt a seering pain in her throat. As the smoke cleared she gazed upon a thing that wasn't her brother, not even close. She opened her mouth to scream but ended up vomiting blood onto the floor.

The thing lying in front of Alyce wasn't human at all. The thing looked like it just came out from a blunder. It gasped for air causing it to make a rasping sound. The thing started to move, trying to survive on its own, but also knowing it wasn't going' to live much longer.

Alyce realized the thing was heading straight her. She considered running but knew there was no where she could run, not in this condition. Then she remembered the ring her mother had given her. It had been so long ago but she remembered seeing it on her mom's dresser and wanting it. There had been a pretty red stone on it and she had asked her mother for it. Her mother had laughed for some reason and given it to her. "Why not?" she said. It was something I had spent much of my youth pursuing but now I am too old and too wise." Her mother had never been the sort of person who cared too much about jewelry so she was sure it was good for something. She took it out of the pouch around her belt and tossed it across the barn hoping the thing would chase it or at least be distractedbutthe thing still kept heading straight towards her. She cursed silently to herself. She wondered if she did something wrong or if the ring really was useless. She was out of options. She pulled herself to her feet and using all of her strength bolted towards the door.The thing kept on struggling to live but soon saw the ring on the ground, without thinking, it went over to the ring and devoured it.Alyce looked on sickened as the thing devoured her mother's ring and then ran onto the street She kept close to the door makingf sure the thing would not get out. She vomited up some more blood. Out on the street a lady noticed Alyce. She asked Alyce if she was okay but the only response she got was a shoe covered in bloody vomit. "Oh you poor girl," the lady cried, "I will take you to the doctor." Alyce tried to protest tried to explain she couldn't leave but the lady couldn't, wouldn't understand. Finally Alyce simply fainted from blood loss.


End file.
